Maxing out on squats (because the bar hurts me)

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GummyHuman
GummyHuman Posts: 193 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started doing stronglifts 5x5 in January and my latest squat weight is 120. I can squat this weight and I am sure I can squat more, but I am getting worried about how much more my shoulders can actually hold. My arms and shoulder/back area feel it more than my legs/butt. It hurts.. and it's not a good hurt either!

I am already doing something that I think is frowned upon, and that is padding the bar. If I wasn't doing that I would've been posting weeks ago about this issue.

I am sure I am not the only person to have experienced this. What do you do when you just can't put any more weight on your shoulders?
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Replies

  • GummyHuman
    GummyHuman Posts: 193 Member
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    Bump! :flowerforyou:
  • LexiMelo
    LexiMelo Posts: 203 Member
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    In for an answer...
    I started NROL4W in February and use the padding on the bar too. I only am squatting 50 lbs so far...congrats on getting to 120 that is really good! I don't know the answer to your question but I totally feel the squats in my legs. I don't know why I can deadlift twice what I can squat maybe I am doing it wrong? Before I was doing heavier squats but it turned out I was only doing "1/2 squats"
  • OverDoIt
    OverDoIt Posts: 332 Member
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    If you have to use a pad then who cares. It is so stupid that people frown on that. If they want to have a sore neck because they want to look cool or follow the pack then let them. If the naked barbell gives you pain then use the pad. would you bounce the bar off your chest on bench because that is what is cool ? No!! it is your max, it is your body, you have to deal with the pain. **** what anybody tells you. BTW I do not use a pad because I hold the bar on my lower traps, this may help you. I have used the pad when my spine is bruised from squating to infinity.
  • JoJo__Fit
    JoJo__Fit Posts: 258 Member
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    Good Job!!!!

    I started focusing more on my upper body when I experienced that a long time ago, Once I developed my shoulders, arms and my back I was able to squat heavier.

    I don't use a pad, but that's just my preference I don't like the feeling.

    Just stay at that weight for now and add more sets and reps, and focus on the rest and you should be upping your weight in no time!!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Hard to diagnose without seeing you squat, but I would guess improper bar placement and/or not making a "base" with your shoulder blades.
  • teaparty75
    teaparty75 Posts: 170
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    I couldn't/wouldn't do it without the pad...I even bought my own so I don't have to share it with others at the gym LOL...congrats on getting up to 120 !!
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Hard to diagnose without seeing you squat, but I would guess improper bar placement and/or not making a "base" with your shoulder blades.

    my thoughts...

    take a video and submit it in a "hows my form" section on BB.com...i think its the exercise forum where you post such videos

    ETA:

    Post it here... any suggestions yiou get without video are basically useless blind guesses.

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=145571351

    No offense MFP, but, people there are far more qualified to make recommendations, imo
  • JoJo__Fit
    JoJo__Fit Posts: 258 Member
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    Hard to diagnose without seeing you squat, but I would guess improper bar placement and/or not making a "base" with your shoulder blades.

    my thoughts...

    take a video and submit it in a "hows my form" section on BB.com...i think its the exercise forum where you post such videos

    ETA:

    Post it here... any suggestions yiou get without video are basically useless blind guesses.

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=145571351

    No offense MFP, but, people there are far more qualified to make recommendations, imo


    LMFAO so bodybuilding.com is more qualified, you have no clue!
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Yeah, it is. Theres far more people there who have trained these lifts and far more people with years of experience doing them. Theres plenty of idiots, but, if you take advice from the vets you'll be better off than the general knowledge base here.

    Granted, there are educated individuals here too, but, less so than BB.

    Whats your gripe? Do I need to post a form check video both here and on BB.com just to make my point? I could, and anyone who knows F all would come to the conclusion that BB.com's advice was better. I'd bet your life on it.
  • Mercedespony
    Mercedespony Posts: 162 Member
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    I've had to widen my grip and lower the barbell on my shoulders/back, to feel comfortable lifting just now at 110.

    I think thats called a low barbell back squat? google it to check the position, the bar sits more on my deltoids. The weight feels great, and I'm looking forward to increasing next week.

    I could not have lifted heavier than 100 if I had stayed in the high bar position. After doing high bar squats, the next day I'd shower and I could feel the bumps/spine in my neck ache!
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Should not feel pain from a padded bar at relatively light weights. Video and post wherever. Might even figure out the problem for yourself just by looking at the video.
  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
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    Play around with how wide/narrow your grip is and how much you flex your upper back. You should be able to rest it on your muscles.

    Some of it may hurt at first, but as you get comfortable with the proper form it should start to feel better.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    I think this could be because of bar placement, but it's hard to say for sure.

    If you are doing high bar, it should rest across the padding of your traps and supported all the way out to your shoulders.

    You could also look into the low bar position (I prefer this). It will rest right below the spine of your scapula, on the meat of your deltoid. There is a nice shelf there when you bring your elbows back. Mark Rippetoe has a good youtube video explaining this.

    I would say keep practicing the positioning until you find the most comfortable spot.

    Your skin might eventually toughen up a little where the bar rests. I know I usually have a little bit of a bruise where the bar sits.
  • GummyHuman
    GummyHuman Posts: 193 Member
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    Should not feel pain from a padded bar at relatively light weights. Video and post wherever. Might even figure out the problem for yourself just by looking at the video.

    I should mention that my "pad" is an old baby blanket wrapped around the center of the bar. I realized it is not all that padded. I just beefed it up a bit and it was a little better.

    I will try to get some video though as well.
  • tquill
    tquill Posts: 300 Member
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    I don't give two craps about using the bar pad. I'm squatting for muscle strength... not skin strength and looking cool. I use a bar pad I bought off of amazon. It wasn't too expensive, and it's a pretty dense foam. It helps a lot. I don't know if it's any better than the blanket you're using... but if the blanket is too soft, it's not really doing much to help soften the bar.

    I agree that you could have a placement issue, but I'm inclined to think people know what feels comfortable. Just try different positions until it feels right. From what I see, people seem to put the bar too high, but again, do what feels comfortable.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
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    Since when is a pad frowned upon? Never heard that before. I always use one.
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
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    do you train back too? Buy a barbell pad for your shoulders.
  • catfive1
    catfive1 Posts: 529 Member
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    Are you doing high bar or low bar squats? I find low bar is much easier on the back. You could also try front bar.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    You probably just have the bar situated improperly. Do you squat high bar or low bar?
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Pinch your shoulder blades to give the bar a place to rest on your traps. You don't want it too high up on the C-7/T-1 vertebral position because that causes pain and can compress the spine. You want it just below T-1, sitting on your traps. With your shoulders pulled back, it should also fit better along the top of the rear delts.

    I incorporate shrugs and lat pulldowns into my routine to build my traps up a little. When the whole body is worked, everything works better. IMO, the 5x5 program is great, but doesn't necessarily put enough focus on this part of the body.

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